In many technical fields, for example refrigeration engineering, it is necessary to transfer pressure media into containers, the latter having to be previously evacuated. Refrigerators and, in particular, motor car air-conditioning systems for instance, require for the initial starting or after repair of the system a charging of a cooling medium, as a rule in the form of a liquified gas, in the circulation of the apparatus, for which the circulation has first to be evacuated.
In order that such a process may be carried out in small workshops or even on the road, it is necessary for the mechanic concerned to be able to use a control manifold that permits the precise observation of this relatively dangerous transferring process.
Available on the market is a control manifold having a casing divided into a low-pressure side for evacuating the system to be changed, and a high-pressure side for charging the system with gas. The connecting conduit on the low-pressure side (between the shut-off valve of the intake connecting piece and the shut-off valve of the pump connecting piece) as well as the connecting conduit on the high-pressure side (between the shut-off valve of the inlet connecting piece for the pressure media and the shut-off valve of the outlet connecting piece for the pressure media) are in flow connection by way of a common conduit section in the manifold casing, formed in each case by a junction curve for the respective connecting conduit.
In such a construction, a very elongated, projecting manifold casing with only very difficult-to-manufacture flow routes is unavoidable, which, apart from high costs, also creates an unsatisfactory handling. The whole assembly swings easily and the connected hoses can bend.